An intriguing book and in places disturbing.
Ben Ronson is appointed by the United Nations to prevent the murder of Duendes, which are strange creatures that inhabit a territory administered by the United Nations, the Delta Protectorate, and it has been decided to declare them as having human rights. The Duendes have the ability to unlock the subconscious of humans who encounter them and for the native population of the Delta they are seen as vermin to be exterminated if they come near their settlements. This in itself would make Ben’s journey a difficult one but added to this is the nature of the Protectorate itself which few people have visited and whose flora and fauna of the area which is unworldly. It cannot be got to by air and the river journey means crossing into through an area where the human memory is affected and where anything can occur.
Ben struggles to challenge the natives to enforce the ban on killing Duendes but also to adapt to the Delta itself as he finds his mind beginning to be affected by the Duendes and also by the actions of some of the other people in the Delta. He also comes to have an appreciation of the part played by the Duendes in creating and possibly maintaining the strange environment of the Delta. He soon becomes disillusioned both by the duty imposed on him and by the Delta itself as doubt and self-loathing begin to impact on his mental health.
Ben struggles to challenge the natives to enforce the ban on killing Duendes but also to adapt to the Delta itself as he finds his mind beginning to be affected by the Duendes and also by the actions of some of the other people in the Delta. He also comes to have an appreciation of the part played by the Duendes in creating and possibly maintaining the strange environment of the Delta. He soon becomes disillusioned both by the duty imposed on him and by the Delta itself as doubt and self-loathing begin to impact on his mental health.